Manuel: "I ain't ready to leave."

Despite being in the last year of his contract, manager Charlie Manuel isn't thinking about retiring.

Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel talks to the media during the Phillies… (MICHAEL KUBEL, THE MORNING…)

January 25, 2013|By Mandy Housenick, Of The Morning Call

There was passion in Charlie Manuel's voice Thursday night when he talked about the 2013 season. Credit that mostly to the new faces who will make their way into the Bright House Field clubhouse for the first time.

The Phillies manager already is tinkering — in his head — with multiple lineups. He's of the belief that Jimmy Rollins won't play 158 games this year. And he'd much prefer having Antonio Bastardo be depended on in the seventh inning rather than the eighth.

That kind of talk can only last so long.

When the topic skidded away from the Xs and Os of baseball during the media portion of the Phillies Winter Banquet at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem and turned to his contract — this is the last year of his deal — that passion extended beyond just an energized tone of voice.

Manuel's face turned red as the words started coming out of his mouth faster than usual — something for him that is a sure sign of added vigor.

"Do I want to manage the Phillies?" Manuel asked. "You're damn right. I ain't ready to leave. That's all I can say."

It's a question the 69-year-old will be asked this year with the frequency of a texting teenager. He knows that. He even said he needs to come up with a way to answer the question.

Manuel's ability to manage has been second-guessed by many over the years, but let's make this clear:

•He is the winningest manager in Phillies history with 727 wins.

•In his eight years at the helm from 2005-12, he's never had a losing season.

•Four times his teams have recorded 92 wins or more.

•His clubs have won the National League East five times.

•The 102 wins in 2011 set a single-season record for any Phillies manager.

•His teams made the postseason five years in a row (2007-11).

•His teams have won two pennants and one World Series.

But he may not have a choice either during or after this season. The man many have pegged as Manuel's successor, Ryne Sandberg, was promoted from the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs to Philadelphia, where he will be the club's third-base coach.

If the front office feels the Hall of Fame second baseman is ready for a new venture after the 2013 season, that would close the door for Manuel in 2014.

And that's assuming the Phillies wait that long. If the club stumbles and finds itself out of contention by the All-Star break, the front office could opt to take the reins away from Manuel.

There's undoubtedly a perception that the Washington Nationals, who won the division last year, and the Atlanta Braves, the 2012 wild-card winners, have improved more this offseason than the Phillies.

"That's good if people think that," general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "I'd like to be an underdog. We were the favorites last year and we didn't do so well. Maybe the tides will turn."

The Nats and the Braves spent money on free agents and made some significant trades — Atlanta's most recent signing was that of Justin Upton (career-high 31 home runs in 2011) on Thursday. But the Phillies, after finishing 81-81, have been more quiet than they have been in years.

The moves that have been made — they include trading for Ben Revere and Michael Young and signing free agents Mike Adams and Delmon Young — are ones that Manuel likes. Factor in the hopes of Chase Utley, Roy Halladay and Ryan Howard being healthy from Day 1, and Manuel has a good vibe about his team's chances.

"I want to have the best season that we've ever had," Manuel said. "I should never have to change my way of doing things. We've proved, and not just me, we've proved that our method and our philosophy works. We've got to go out there and play better, and if we're healthy, with the acquisitions that we got, I feel very strongly about it."

There's one more thing he feels strongly about, too.

"I want to make it plain," Manuel said, "that I'm not going to retire and I love being a Phillie."